Страницы

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Aircraft Tu-114

One of the undoubted achievements of the Khrushchev
"thaw" - a new jet civil aviation of the country. And the speed
and comfort were now owned by any citizen of the USSR, not just the elected
authorities. And even if the ticket price, close to the cost of travel in
the sleeping car express train.

In addition, in the late 1950s as a result of the enormous interest around the
world, including capitalism, the processes taking place in Russia, greatly
expanded and strengthened international ties of the USSR. That, and the
last in the 1957 World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow stimulated the
question of the establishment in our country a developed system of
international air services, including transcontinental.

Tu-104 and IL-18 were good for it only in part: they could not fly over the
ocean, not suitable for long-distance non-stop flights, and had a relatively
small (89-100) seating.

Back in March 1955 was granted a government job on the design of long-haul
passenger aircraft. For large flights needed was not just a powerful,
economical and roomy, but very reliable liner, with exhaust systems, engines
and airframe.Moreover, the government demanded a long-range passenger (he, of
course, and landing) aircraft as soon as possible, do not allow for many tests
and improvements. Coverage of the world's attention to the Soviet planned
to carry out without delay ...

As always, the pioneers began to Tupolev. Already having the experience of
remaking the military to a civilian aircraft (Tu-16 - Tu-104), Tupolev
immediately chose a prototype of a new car - well proven bomber Tu-95.

Today, often expressed doubts about the fidelity of the method of designing a
commercial aircraft. They say that once the car had to be done "for
the people" as a Boeing 707 or DC-8, a comfortable and secure, especially
the Civil War.

These days, when the accumulated vast experience in building civilian aircraft,
so it is easy to speculate. But then - wait for it - no one knew exactly
what it is: a passenger aircraft with turbine engines. How to do it? By
what standards? In accordance with the practice of any use? Everything
happened the first time.

In the specific example of the new (then) Tupolev project even the most
scrupulous, "from zero", flight testing is still not freed from the
sea would be problems in the subsequent operation with passengers on board. The
only way to guarantee that time reduce the number of such problems - is the
maximum utilization of aircraft design elements, the tested for at least
several years. A materiel that can withstand high speeds, as well as
turboprop engines, while there have been only in military aviation. So
Tupolev path is not only true, but, given the compactness of the set of design
time, only possible at that time. In the 707, too, initially designed as a
tanker.

A new project on the Tupolev firm has received the
designation "114". So he remained in aviation history by
becoming the serial aircraft.

Tu-114 made very quickly - in just two years. It has been a leading
designer N.I.Bazenkov. November 15, 1957 test pilot A.P.Yakimov first
raised the Tu-114 in the air, and began flight tests. Lead test engineer
from OKB was Ter-Akopian, State Research Institute of the CAF, AB Ivanov,
and other State V.G.Deloveri flight testing was carried out as test pilots, IK Vedernikov
and I.M.Suhomlin.

It would seem - to increase the diameter of the fuselage, the thinned-scuttles
Arrange chairs - and ready to ship. But how many problems posed in front
of the new aircraft designers, to create machines that played best in the world
in a "weight class"!

One of the key - ensuring reliable and efficient air-cabin air conditioning
unusually large space for many hours of flight. After being born, in fact,
the world's first jumbo jet - distant ancestor of the current IL-86, A-340 or B
767. The fundamental difference with Airbus today only in the fact that
the Tu-114 - narrow-body aircraft.

Before Tupolev no one knew how would feel in certain circumstances 170 people
in a narrow tube length of 54 meters at an altitude of 11 kilometers. Was
also an extremely complex problem of strength and durability of pressurized
fuselage.Sound attenuation is not easy and was given in the cabin, taking into
account the tremendous power of the NK-12MV engines ND Kuznetsov design.

All these problems were successfully solved - partly because all the creative
energy of designers focused mainly on them, being free of the most pressing
problems in the aviaproektirovanii airframe, landing gear, tail, engines and
other global issues that are before the Tu-114 has already been solved Tu-95.Refinement
of the wing on the Tu-114 in comparison with Tu-95 are negligible.More
significant changes, for obvious reasons, was subjected to the fuselage.

According to the recollections of veterans, relationship with the TU-95-m was
shown on the first Tu-114 to curiosities. For example, such details: in the
beginning did not provide clothing for the crew (military pilots so that's
that, but just do not need a wardrobe). I had to eliminate one toilet in
the nose and make clothes instead. Baggage of passengers at first supposed
to load up the side, but ... from the bottom up - like a bomb in
bombolyuk. All the tables that stood between the seats in first-class
cabin, were firmly bolted to the side (just in case?), And because of this very
loud and vibrated. They had to be disconnected.Reasons for the location of
the navigator and his equipment in the nose with an overview of the glazed
lantern over the front, too, is understandable - the Tu-95 navigator in the
bombing should be seen in front of goal (IL-18, the car was initially civil,
space navigator is already inside the cockpit). And so forth.

Still turned out entirely civilian aircraft, and as it turned out, excellent. The
reason is not only the will and the universal authority of the AN Tupolev,
solves all the issues most important to create the Tu-114 directly to Nikita
Khrushchev, not only elevated the creative work of the then Bureau of engineers
and test pilots, but also that from the beginning to the improvement of
aircraft were involved in the pilots of "Aeroflot" ( Not to
mention the fact that the military navigators trained in flight on the Tu-16
and Tu-114 for precise navigation for pilots is "Aeroflot").

Their comments are listened to without any design arrogance. Near
the Tupolev has always been a stenographer, record all verbal requests lineyschikov
pilots.Problems are resolved quickly, without delay or red tape, so hated by
Tupolev.Each quarter, were flight-technical conference in conjunction with test
pilots and specialists of OKB. Refer to the Tupolev unceremoniously could
any of the pilots, invited to a specially created to Vnukovo for operational
testing of Tu-114 206 First Flight Detachment. By the way, took place only
Muscovites, but flying the Tu-104 and only to the first class. Retraining
on the Tu-114 took place in Kuibyshev.

It is a pity that in the later years of the pilots view of "Aeroflot"
for field trials of other aircraft are increasingly neglected, and the office
staff, and the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, and the only obvious
defects, and even worse catastrophe, designers were forced to listen to the
advice of those who know the feeling responsibility for the lives
entrusted to them ... In the era of the Tu-114 aeroflotovtsev opinion, as
well as the leadership of this organization, it was still very significant.

Thus, the Tu-114 was created in an atmosphere of creative enthusiasm. The
largest contribution to the improvement of aircraft pilots have
"Aeroflot" K.P.Sapelkin, A.K.Vitkovsky, H.N.Tshovrebov etc.

Despite the huge amount of tests verified the design allowed the foundations to
quickly organize a "bride" of the aircraft. The first
demonstration flight to New York by plane number L-5611 is already committed in
1958 (and in the stunned New York, there was not a suitable ladder or truck),
and May 19, 1959 the crew A.P.Yakimova, MA . Nyuhtikova, I.K.Vedernikova
involving K.P.Sapelkina made its first demonstration flight to Khabarovsk with
passengers on board. The flight was a non-profit: the passengers were,
along with journalists, mostly aviation specialists.

It was the first flight in the history of civil aviation in this range with a
speed of flight.Taking off from Vnukovo held at 18 h 18 min. In a way the
weather is not spoiled - met two cyclone, 3 cold front, overcast on the
highway. Landing in Khabarovsk in 3 hours, 00 minutes, return flight 10
hours 44 minutes, and landing at Vnukovo is 20 h 52 min. Total covered
13,500 miles in 18 hours 50 minutes.

Reliability of the aircraft was so high that in 1959 it was also carried out an
unprecedented action, in my opinion, unparalleled in the history of aviation on
the plane, field trials which have not yet been completed, the government moved
the USSR, headed by NS . Khrushchev in Washington.

Advocacy might Tu-114 has eclipsed even the effect of the Tu-104.Unprecedented
dimensions, powerful deep voice coaxial propellers, wingspan of a grand, tall
nose landing gear and generally expressed in external power struck imagination. A
huge number of

top awards world-class, who received the plane and its creators, 32 world
records set on it, accompanied by the triumphant introduction of Tu-114 with
the globe.

Veteran of the domestic aviation Hariton N. Tskhovrebov, one
of the first pilots in the country honored the Soviet Union, has made for the
Tu-114 is hardly as much as the creators of the machine, says the aircraft was
demonstrated at the airport in Brazil Campinas (Sao Paulo). Queue length
reached 2 km, show itself lasted a week. One came from far away and the
gray-bearded old men were asked to familiarize them with the commander. They
were the Latvians, who emigrated in 1940. Old men wept bitterly regretting
that left the country, dobivshuyusya so much success ...

Indeed, the design of the Tu-114 contains a lot of unique. We specify that
Two deck design (layout of the fuselage: the bottom of the kitchen, cargo and
baggage at the top - the crew and passengers), which became the core for the
design of modern jumbo jet, was introduced on the Tu-114. It is
interesting that the kitchen was connected to the elevator buffet, as IL-86. The
staffing of the crew, as well as the Tu-104, the first half of the 60s was the
cook.

Controlled stabilizer was also a new thing. The plane was tugovat in the
management of stress on the wheel, piloting the pilot "had to eat well
before the flight," but the pilots quickly adapted to it, and cases of
accidents on the defect management was not.

Do not have a unique and coaxial screws AB-60 K.Zhdanova design, development
and refinement which was carried out in cooperation with TsAGI and CIAM. V.G.Deloveri
wrote, was "achieved an efficiency of the propeller to the flight speeds
of over 800 km / h, found the ability to create large braking forces on the
propeller and its automatic feathering." The true speed of 850 km / h
is really unique to the aircraft with turboprop. No wonder the early years
of the Tu-114 flights across the Atlantic, Americans often attach thereto their
fighters, to make sure that the plane actually flies with a true speed.

In general, the combination of a swept wing with a theater manifested itself,
even by today's standards, brilliant: reached a very high speed combined with
an incredible aircraft for such a mass economy (consumption reached
approximately 5600 kg in the first hour, and 4000-4400 kg in the following). In
the IL-62M average cruising consumption of up to 7 tons per hour.

Power available at a total engine power of 60,000 hp was sufficient to
secure the continuation rise in the standard conditions with limiting takeoff
weight of 173.5 m with a failed engine speed, after making a decision. In
any case, when a reduction in Domodedovo D.I.Kuharenko caused by a flight
engineer with a failed engine was accidentally turned off the second at the
same polukryle, the power of the other two and, of course, courageous commander
composure enough for you to safely land the seemingly hopeless car. H.N.Tshovrebovu
once had to distill the Tu-114 on three engines from New Delhi on ... Himalayas!

From the start of operational testing during regular starts in Zhukovsky was
developed by a specific regulation of the crew in case of engine failure on
takeoff.The exception was the takeoff starts with more than 174 tons macsoy on
the Tu-114D, intended to fly to Havana. In this situation, take-off
distance in case of engine failure at ambient temperature +25 ° C or more
greater than 4 km. Where this is finally clear in Zhukovsky, pilots and
engineers looked at each other in the eye and said, "Let us hope that out
in Havana just did not happen ..." The huge wingspan and a broad base
of the chassis required to operate the aircraft on the ground with a bandwidth
of at least 80 meters. Length required for the Tu-114 was taken not less
than 3500 meters. This did not prevent such aces as, for example,
H.N.Tshovrebov, landing during the demonstration flight of Tu-114 short-and
long narrow strips just 3200 meters and take off with them! For example,
at the airport of Brasilia, to the same mountain (NAER - 1000 m). Veteran
recalls: "It is my decision was made to fit the maximum allowable tailwind
of 5 m / s, and not a counter, as is usually done. This was necessary in order
to be able to release the band after landing, as the only one - in the
opposite of the situation - the end of the runway taxiway had to release it (on
most turn lane was not possible because of the small band width of 45 meters).
Otherwise, our "Tu" is set to trucks at least five hours with the
closure of the airport. Manager for a long time did not permit landing with
the wind, asking questions, and I'm not to embark on a long explanation of
landing such a course, simply took full responsibility. Of course, it was
difficult, Automatic translating long screws into the mode of inhibition due to
high real rate in a high but then, when the rate was asleep on the run,
they finally withdrew from the way I was able to use the wheel brakes and we
stopped at the runway within fifty meters from the end. As I sat down with the
wind, so that there was no talking and no doubt the press on the part of
the quality of my landing, I requested a car maintenance, while still on the
runway. fact that prior to our arrival a week newspaper wrote that the huge
Russian aircraft never landed on the bar so high. "

Excitement and foreign and Soviet press about the Tu-114 is
clear. Non-stop flight over long distances while in the 50s, was seen as a
miracle. After the piston, "Douglas" and IL-12, migrating
slightly faster than an express train with a dozen intermediate landings, 9:00
on the Tu-114 to Khabarovsk is a something cosmic.Cabin first Tu-114 was
performed without the influence of interior compartment cars of long-distance
trains and ocean liners sea. Therefore, in the comfort of Tu-114 appeared
to ordinary Soviet man of the time (not spoiled facilities) are also somehow
transcendent. Tu-114 - it is really a kind of social revolution, the rise
of social consciousness. And, of course, the most powerful weapon of
propaganda - in fact, was something to be proud, do not say anything.

It was a plane with three classes of layout: economy class (standard seat 3
+3), the first class (rows of seats separated by tables with a lamp), and
finally, with four compartments - these compartments, as in the train, but the
3 berths with two transverse and one longitudinal shelves.

Plane tickets were worth, respectively, to the class, though with a slight
difference.I draw the reader's attention to the fact that there are
mnogoklassny principle focus on differentiated demand, has now one championship
in the airline business. Providing options passenger was absolutely true,
but, unfortunately, followed in 1960-1970-ies val transport of
"Aeroflot", exceeding all conceivable projections, long consigned to
oblivion on our domestic routes any other arrangement, other than economy
class. Maximum capacity of the Tu-114 reached 224 seats. It was at
that time the most spacious Airliner "Aeroflot".Coupe and tables with
lamps on the recommendation of SRI CAF is removed in order to increase
capacity.

Let me digress a little. I'm sorry coupe disappeared on the Tu-114. Think
about it: 8-13 hours in the sky - it's like night and in a short train. Passengers
of the Tu-114, after sitting in the compartment at a table at the window of the
first hour of the flight, get down pillow, blanket and sheet and go to bed. If
the aircraft was equipped with a fully convertible, the entire length of the
fuselage, it would be a unique example of comfort. Of course, from an
economic point of view of all this criticism does not stand up, just a bit too
cozy feel sorry for ... We specify that in the West today, very often used
on transcontinental routes first and luxury class with individual seating,
folding as sofas.

In the comfort of passengers the impression of Tu-114 spoiled rich
low-frequency noise, which was particularly strong in the area of ​​the
screws in the back of the first class. In the opinion of some seasoned
passengers, he supposedly transferred a little easier than the IL-18 because it
was not so pervasive. Once again - after a piston aircraft such things
seem trifles. Tu-114 began to lose "image" of the passengers
only with the advent of low-noise circuits on distant IL-62 when it was nothing
to compare.

But the stability of the aircraft in severe turbulence, on the contrary,
greatly increased the comfort of passengers. With a very strong (steel
spars!) And yet flexible structure (amplitude of the wing, plus or minus 2
meters of the ending), Tu-114 is great, even endured severe turbulence. It
was indispensable to the quality when you fly across the ocean during tropical
storms and cyclones, or when crossing mountain ranges like the Himalayas.

From the series was killed in an accident Sheremetyevo and the other, almost
before he could fly, broke in half in the parking lot at Vnukovo error flight
engineer, who began to remove the chassis from the compacted posts. The
fuselage of the aircraft at Vnukovo long lay close to the UTO ...

The first scheduled passenger flight to Khabarovsk was carried out from Vnukovo
April 24, 1961, and the crews H.N.Tshovrebova P.V.Soldatova.

In the annals of aviation special place occupied airliners Tu-114 flights to
Havana, which had no analogues in the world of aviation practice.

They were preceded by technical, and then regular flights to Khabarovsk, and
flying at a distance. A huge role in the development of long-distance non-stop
routes and methods of implementation of long-distance navigation has played the
chief navigator of Detachment 206 Nicholas Fil-lipovich Nosov.

It is also important was the fact that almost all the pilots of Detachment 206
passed rigorous military school in transport aircraft and, thus, perfectly
possessed of all the then modes of orientation.

Originally scheduled flights to Khabarovsk performed by Kazan, Krasnoyarsk,
Sverdlovsk-Nizhneudinsk Balaganski-Chita-Magdagachi. Time of flight came
back to 10, then - up to 11 hours. This is a very tired crew and did not
meet sanitary standards of working time. Then the route was through the
spryamlen Serov-Tobolsk-Yeniseisk, and after a Serov, Stony Tunguska-Ki-Rennes. Thus,
the flight time was reduced to 8-9 hours. Filling in the Khabarovsk was
54-58 m

Very often, the flight to Khabarovsk was accompanied by a powerful jet stream
from west to east in the latitudes of the road. Ground speed at the same
time reached 1170 km / h, but on the way back had to turn away to the South to
get away from the mighty reservoir of headwind. Observations on the fuel
consumption under these conditions is very useful when flying in Havana.

Direct Flights to Havana was created 60-seat Tu-114D with a takeoff weight of
184 tons, which had additional tanks with a capacity of 15 tons, and allowed
the fuel to fill 16 hours of flight. In addition, these aircraft were
equipped astrosekstantami. These machines had two.

July 10, 1962 with two interchangeable crews A.K.Vitkovsko th and was completed
H.N.Tshovrebova Havana flight with a stopover in Conakry (New Guinea) at the
airport, built by Soviet specialists. The flight lasted 21 hours, 16
minutes. After the departure from Conakry error forecaster plane crashed
into powerful turbulence, and here that showed the power of his
"muscles", perfectly resist rough air. The situation initially
appeared to be so complex that was in the cabin of the chief CAB CAF
E.F.Loginov repeated aloud each team, which gave the pilots the navigator. Before
landing in Havana, the crew was asked to do three laps over the airfield to
show a crowd of thousands of Cubans aircraft in flight. But then the
captain saw a powerful cumulonimbus cluster in the terminal area, showed his
E.F.Loginovu and said that you should immediately sit down, for after falling
into a "heap" does not expect anything good, and fuel to the
alternate care after These three circles are not enough. To persuade
the minister had not reported to the dispatcher that will make only one round,
made him and began to approach. At the height of the beginning of the
alignment downpour struck with such force that the band completely disappeared
from sight. However, the aircraft was well balanced, and sat down gently,
but after driving 12 minutes standing on the runway, waiting for rain subsides,
because nothing could be seen ...

It would seem that the problem of regular flights with
passengers to Cuba, which was in the U.S. blockade has been resolved. However,
Khrushchev's plans disrupted President of New Guinea, which literally bought
the Americans who sought at all costs to disrupt the Russian flights to Cuba. By
putting forward a formal explanation of what the airport in Conakry can not
take the aircraft from take-off mass of over 150 tons, the government of New
Guinea, in fact, kicked them with the same Russian built airfield. After
Conakry completed all four flights a week, then four flight was arranged
through Dakar (Senegal), which has banned flights to the rationale of
"Russian carry weapons." After that met 3 times in Algeria, but
they quickly found some obstacles, and that Africa is the continent ceased to
be an intermediate in the Tu-114 flights to Cuba. It was necessary to
urgently seek a different route, since it appeared that the Soviet Union is
unable to fulfill an agreement with Cuba to organize regular flights to Moscow,
what were once trumpet Western newspapers.

Nothing to do but to fly across the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic in international
waters. Calculations showed that if an intermediate landing for refueling
in Murmansk fuel from there to Havana should be enough. As it turned out
later, it turned out not always. The length of the track reached 10 900
km.

Flights to Havana flights preceded the North at a distance to Khabarovsk and
back, during which observations were made of atmospheric phenomena, mode of
flight and engine behavior, selected the most economical options. In
mid-December 1962, a week before the first technical flight via Murmansk, with
the assistance of a test pilot I.M.Suhomlina was carried out non-stop flight
from Moscow to Gorky, Kirov-Serov-Sub-mennaya length of about 13 000 km. Contrary
to the calculation, the flight lasted 16 hours, 15 minutes and 15 hours 50 minutes
thanks to a tailwind. Before the flight, the aircraft weighed, drove for
three racks of weights. Take-off weight was 184 tons, plus about a ton on
the taxiing - Havana standards.

December 22, 1962, and the crews V.A.Filonova N.I.Grunenysheva led H.N.Tshovrebova
took a course from the new airport Sheremetyevo to Murmansk.After a four-hour
parking for refueling took off from there to Havana.

The strongest headwind on the route at times reduced the ground speed up to
...460 km / h - wind speed was 380-390 km / h! Over 16 hours have not come
across a single ship in the ocean. The plane went off the busiest corners
of the sea, always above water. In Havana, was characteristic of a
tropical downpour.Nothing to do but sit in these weather conditions, and this
was done. Of fuel per flight hour left, but the world press reported that
two.

It was a unique mission. His route passed over the northern coast of
Finland, Norway, England, then through the beam of Reykjavik, South Greenland,
Gander beam, beam of New York, Varadero. Later in the performance of
scheduled flights, it has not changed.

The flight was carried out on an "across the ceiling." As the
production of fuel could gain a higher and therefore more efficient train that
included a thorough calculation of the flight, and then execute it without it
would be impossible - would not have enough fuel. A related interesting
features of the first flight.

The Americans did not believe that this flight will be successfully
accomplished, and only when the plane passed beam Reykjavik (Iceland), they
finally came around and finally realized that the Russian guys really continue
to fly without landing and have a very good chance to be in Havana. After
that, the Americans began a stubborn obstruction. In particular, the crew
received information from the Icelandic manager that Americans will demand fall
for 1500 meters. Such a reduction would lead to excessive fuel consumption
and the failure of the flight.H.N.Tshovrebov asked to resolve in the region of
Iceland on its flight echelon, and the Americans, he said, was intended to
"arrange itself." A similar situation occurred in Greenland and
Canada, where managers politely did not object to flying in their area on the
echelon occupied by the crew, or at least making the fuel is higher, but warned
the crew about the intentions of Americans (Canadian Manager is not without
laughter audible in the phones pilots) . Finally came to the States. Initially,
manager of New York adopted the report of the crew of the entrance to the zone
occupied by tier, and confirmed the authorization to continue the flight, but a
couple of minutes later demanded the fall of 1500 meters, referring to the fact
that the area has three "wings" (three groups of military aircraft). To
this the commander of the Tu-114 indicated that there were no planes on a clear
day it is in an absolutely clear sky can not see, and what time his flight-plan
has been adopted by the dispatcher at the entrance to the zone of the United
States, the flight level change, he does not intend to. If any aircraft in
the area and there, he said the dispatcher, so remove them and make sure my
flight in accordance with our proven flight-plan. Americans had to accept,
and abeam Miami height reached about 12,000 feet. Only through such an
insistence H.N.Tshovrebova flight was successfully completed in Havana, and not
somewhere on a random alternate airport. However, two weeks later,
Americans still sent to the CAB CAF pilot's complaint for failure to fulfill
team manager ...

Abeam of Miami seemed suddenly two fighters from Florida. They recorded
the altitude and speed of the Tu-114, after which one of them, piloted by a
black man approached from behind on the right and "pushed" a sharp
nose, his fighter between ... golden rings rotating with a frequency of
736 rev / min screws Tu-114!The co-pilot D.I.Kuharenko, who was at that moment
in the cabin, grabbed his camera and movie camera Quartz-3 and began to take
off (after landing photos and film taken away from him politely, people in civilian
clothes "for the training of our pilots aerobatics"). By order
of the flight commander, flight immediately contacted the manager and complain
about the behavior of Americans. Manager gave the corresponding command,
and the fighters retreated as suddenly in afterburner in the party, as well as
come - but, however, accompanied by our aircraft, built on a little way off,
until Cuba.

So it was not easy was this flight ...

In Havana, the crew and the aircraft has been arranged warm welcome. The
crew was accompanied by Secretary of the third person of the Soviet Embassy. Pilots
were settled in the upscale 32-storey hotel-American heritage. At present
the Soviet representatives in Cuba was brought alive Russian Tree ...

Now, faced the problem of take-off from Havana with a maximum takeoff
weight.The fact that the alignment of the runway were ground obstacles -
high-voltage wires and poles. Even with the rise in temperature, outside
air to 25 ° C (above this temperature rise was generally discouraged by the length
of the strip - the fact that the Tu-114 was equipped with a so-called ACT -
command-and-fuel machine that regulates the quality and quantity of the mixture
of fuel and air supplied to the engine. This unique unit, performing 17
operations simultaneously without human intervention, automatically adjusts the
engine power as a function of t, taking into account the outside air mode, the
specified flight engineer. CTA reduced the engine power when the temperature
exceeded 25 "C, and then mode of operation can not increase it) could
not manage to avoid the dangerous proximity of an obstacle. "Science"
depressed, but found a way out of the pilot H.N.Tshovrebov. His decision can
safely be called a genius.

Tskhovrebov took off and passed over an obstacle, to the surprise of all, at an
altitude of more than 50 meters (estimated theoretical yield of about 6-9
meters ... that confirmed the very first test flight). "Science,"
said that this can not be that it was an accident. Tskhovrebov repeated a
second time off and went over the obstacle is higher than 60 meters. Demanded
an explanation and got them.

The fact that immediately after takeoff at an altitude of not less than 5
meters were supposed to begin to remove the chassis. This would seem quite
logical, since the cleaning gear reduces drag. But the peculiarity of the
Tu-114 is that the landing gear of the aircraft have a huge amount, and the
very extensive linkage chassis with a maximum harvest area facing the flow. When
the doors open the chassis, and the aircraft is to climb at an increased angle
of attack, air tanks are filled with niches, in which a vortex is formed, and
the resistance is greatly increased, not decreased. All this reduced the
rate of climb when cleaning the chassis up to 1 m / sec. Tskhovrebov take
into account all of it. And his decision was simple: do not remove the
chassis to the passage of the obstacle. At the same climb after the
separation was 5-6 m / sec.

After the trial take-off from Havana with a limiting takeoff
weight of the crew had to fly over Cuba in order to develop 36 tons of fuel to
generate acceptable landing weight. Cuba obletyvali around the perimeter
of the entire length of its coastline.Pour kerosene banned for environmental
reasons.

After a series of "fact-finding" missions and solve all the problems
was considered possible to operate regular passenger flights from Moscow to
Havana via Murmansk. The crew of 28 December 1962, New Year's Eve, flew
back. Each crew member was presented with a basket of fruit and vegetable
gifts of Cuba, a bottle of Soviet champagne. From somewhere in the embassy
knew that one of the pilots discussed the problem of delivery in Moscow
daughter to school cane, and brought the plant to the plane. Reed with a
custom tag flew to Russia ...

Weather was favorable, the wind this time was incidental, and Murmansk have
been non-stop, despite the desperate invocation of the head of filling left
over there and dreaming to get to New Year's table home. By decision of
the flight commander, flight, taken back in Havana, to the surprise of
journalists and "specialists", the flight originally was supposed to
be non-stop.

Targeting was carried out over the ocean, mainly in celestial
navigation.Sometimes using the so-called fan beacons. The essence of this
lighthouse was that the sound of Morse code on the two letters gave some
direction to the lighthouse at imposing a navigator on a special card mosaic.

At a distance of 800 km coastal beacons were heard. First widely used
services of supervisory control of Europe and the U.S., but then came a bill
for services that go with them to the relationship is not particularly
recommended. Sometimes, when managers intentionally gave the wrong
coordinates of the aircraft, and sometimes during the flight of the Tu-114
specifically switched off the coast lighthouses or lightships in the ocean,
trying to force the crew to resort to paid services.

It is hardly necessary to dwell on particularly how severe climatic conditions
of flight in the Atlantic. Magnetic storms, temperature changes, cyclones
and tropical storms ... Sometimes the fuel before Havana is still lacking
because of the unimaginable headwinds throughout the route, and then had to
make technical landing at ... American airbase in Nassau in the Bahamas, where,
however, the meeting turned out very friendly, the plane refueled and released. The
commander of paying for the service of dollars in cash, which he issued in case
of technical landing. Paying for fuel coupons firm "Shell", with
which "Aeroflot" was an agreement, under which the payment of the sum
of coupons increased by 5%.Take off, landing and maintenance bond worth at the
time $ 310. On Sunday the amount was doubled.

Often in the cockpit of the Tu-114 proved to navigators trainees ADD, and the
first echelon above the halfway point to the return of the car was accompanied,
like a satellite, Tu-95 - "big brother". For long-range bombers
and reconnaissance aircraft pilots experience in the civil was not at all
little importance. By Tu-114 th flight modes were verified, corrected
navigation, etc.

The route of flight, with rare exceptions, gross deviations of up to 200 km due
to weather conditions, usually maintained accurately. But in general, as
they say veterans - "flying and everything." On the flight,
almost entirely over water just looked like life rafts and vests on board.

It is clear that, going to school Havana flight, it was relatively easy to
build on the Tu-114 non-stop direct flights to Montreal, New York, Beijing,
Delhi, Ghana, Accra, Tokyo.

We can not tell that to the Tu-114 is connected to the phenomenon of the Soviet
era unique - a joint operation with the capitalist Airlines airline.

In 1967 the question arose about the organization of regular flights to Tokyo. This
became possible after the discovery of radio equipment equipped Trans airway
through Russia - the shortest way from Europe to China, Japan, South-East
Asia.Airline "Jal" together with "Aeroflot" open non-stop
flight to Tokyo on a Tu-114.

For this was converted two cars - 76,464 and 76,470. 464-I was most
fortunate general of the Tu-114-x: it is set on a pedestal at Domodedovo -
though the standard is already coloring the 1970s.

In agreement with the Japanese, the two aircraft were rearranged (the bow) in
the first version of the economic class +. Each machine had a total
capacity of 105 seats. The flight served together Japanese and Soviet
flight attendants have received special training. Planes were outside the
symbolism as "Aeroflot" and "Jal".

And there has not been without a complicated navigation problems. At the
airport, Haneda were extremely harsh conditions call from one of the courses. This
was attributed to the fact that the Japanese are totally forbidden to fly over
Tokyo, and the scheme had to turn the "butt". Preliminary
calculations showed that the Tu-114 can not fit into such a rigid scheme of
call. Minister of Civil Aviation E.F.Loginov H.N.Tshovrebovu personally
appealed to the proposal to look out of this problem, especially since the
implementation of such a voyage was extremely tempting from a political point
of view.

Based on careful calculations H.N.Tshovrebov proposed the following variant,
which was approved: after passing abeam runway flight with a stopwatch certain
number of seconds, and then, on the beam long drive, release the flaps to 20
degrees and execute a turn coupled to an altitude of 300 meters on the
planting rate of decline. Out of this turn radius of 2.8 km at an altitude
of 150 meters took place at a distance of only 2 kilometers from the band, then
the reduction was carried out pre-release of the flap is fully and finally
landing. Sunset was essentially visual.

H.N.Tshovrebov specifically ottreniroval flight, including the
command-guidance, the composition in terms of the flight to Tokyo, with a
record book in the flight. This is not just led to a curious situation
where Haneda airport in bad weather, Japanese DC-8 and "Boeing" could
not be the first approach to land on his own course from the city airport and
went to the second round, and a huge Tu-114 sat on the first try as if
nothing had happened.

Similar difficulties must be overcome, and when you exit the terminal area. Lapel
had to be performed immediately after take-off at extremely low for this type
of aircraft altitude and speed. Here, the calculations were so successful
H.N.Tshovrebova that the Tupolev and then, when able to convince the Japanese
in the safety of such flights and air services agreement was signed, personally
thanked the pilot for the help introduce the world of flight. The point
was that it was thanks to calculations pilot managed to sign a contract with
the Japanese on the exploitation of the Moscow-Tokyo, and then became the most
profitable in the "Aeroflot".

The first passenger flight to Tokyo was made crew H.N.Tshovrebova 17-18 April
1967.

The brilliant career of the aircraft was determined by high professionalism of
pilots and engineering staff, which was held from today's point of view,
enviably organized training. Very important was the confidence in the
flight test composition that, history shows operation of the aircraft, it was
decisive. For such applications, such as the Tu-114, the human factor is
very significant. The car is reliable, but depends on the crew, almost all
- handmade, so to speak. Well said about this H.N.Tshovrebov
"Stradivarius violin in the hands of Vladimir Spivakov - a Stradivarius
violin, and in unskilled hands - nothing."

Many testers, pilots and engineers to put into operation the Tu-114, received
the title of Hero of Socialist Labor, Honored Pilot of the USSR. And
deservedly so.

Unfortunately, the biography of Tu-114 is present, however, the tragic fact to
which the aircraft design, however, is irrelevant. This is a disaster that
took place at Sheremetyevo February 17, 1966 - the only crash of Tu-114. I
would say it is typical of the Soviet disaster.

The aircraft had to perform a flight to Brazzaville (Congo) in Africa, where it
was planned to carry acceptance of a delegation to the airfield. Weather
is not favorable for a few days - to carry the storm Sheremetievskiy band
visibility due to fog, find waves was extremely limited. However,
political ambition and desire to the big bosses to save the honor of the
uniform industry led to the dismissal of the commander V.A.Filonova decision to
depart, and thus contributed to the accident.

Victor Arturovich Filonov - a man who left on a very good memory. Without
exception, people who knew him speak of him as a remarkable man - high personal
culture, responsive, great noble souls do not courageous show, but in practice. The
pilot of God. At the initiative of H.N.Tshovrebova he still was
transferred from the State Research Institute at Sheremetyevo CAF, in the 210th
unit, which primarily "through the political officer," prevented the
Swedish origin of the father V.A.Filonova (just kind of phantasmagoria, is not
it it?), and flew flawlessly. No wonder he was entrusted to carry out
the command of this flight to Brazzaville.

Just before the flight indicating administrative leadership TU MVL
V.F.Bashkirovym general, who headed the delegation, changed the composition of
the flight crew: it was introduced by the inspection head of transport
department CAB CAF Yu.K.Valerius - instead of the deputy commander of the 210th
Detachment A . N.Tshovrebova.

Due to the deteriorating weather JK Valerius tried to cancel the flight,
but could not. The fact is that for some time before the dispute, the
radio announced their departure. Valerius then realized that the flight is
not canceled, he left the plane (although it could), but remained with the
crew! He was keenly aware of the consequences, because spent the
entire war in the sky and went flying after it.(For a description of this
episode is based on the recollections of his granddaughter JK Valerius -
O.M.Filchevoy).

The band was cleared, but not across the entire width and 40 meters. As a
result of snow blowers on the edges of the runway snow-formed breastworks, very
difficult visibility of lights from the cockpit. Thus, the pilot could
withstand the direction of the run (and was carried off at night) almost
exclusively on share unit.V.A.Filonov to directly start the run could not know
or even imagine.

After the start of the run, when it became clear that the runway lights are
barely visible (light up), break off it was too late. V.A.Filonov
masterful direction of the stand strictly on the runway for one direction only
navigational instrument - as shown by subsequent measurements, the deviation
was less than a degree, that is just at the limits of the pilot. Only at
the end of the takeoff strip still poor preparation played a fateful role -
left truck chassis is brushed on the isolation of one of the parapets of snow,
which caused a strong cast of the aircraft left the sinking of the nose. The
pilot, fending off, given the right bank, screws, third and fourth engine was
hit on the cover strip and collided with the earth, leading to complete
destruction ... Killed many of the passengers and crew members, including
commander V.A.Filonov. Some, including V.F.Bashkirova, was lucky to
survive for one reason or another, especially located in the tail of the plane.

Produced by the investigation revealed that the training pilots to fly a Tu-114
was conducted in the unit at the perfect level training program even surpassed
the recommended amount. There is no doubt a professional, as well as human
V.A.Filonova reputation. The disaster was triggered by interference from
senior management of the crew, as well as poor training of the band terrestrial
services.However, for obvious reasons, it was hushed up, and so far about this
tragic history, few people know.

Command-and-control style of management industry, very often leads to such
incidents, was, incidentally, is the main cause of early cancellation of the
Tu-114 flight operations.

After reaching the international route of IL-62, Tu-114, losing the status of
the leader of "Aeroflot", all the fleet were converted from
Sheremetyevo to Domodedovo. There are 220-seat version of the regular
flights to Alma-Ata, Tashkent, Novosibirsk and Khabarovsk, where there were
long strips. The aircraft behaved as reliable as in the 1960s. Nickname
"The Dragon" (Novosibirsk), or "Shaitan Arba" (Alma-Ata)
were purely humorous, but not sarcastic. Occasionally there were cases of
engine failure, not led to any serious consequences. There was a case of
an emergency landing with faulty landing gear in Domodedovo, too, ended
happily. However, after the majority of use of machines flying no more
than 15 000 hours of all aircraft Tu-114 in November 1976 have been withdrawn
from service and decommissioned no later than summer 1977.

These days, when the balance each and every ton of kerosene
aircraft, regardless of age, is the depletion of very economical and reliable
aircraft is complete anomaly. In what was the matter?

Old pilots say that the plane "did not like the" top officials of
Ministry of Civil Aviation - t.t.Bugaev and Mamsurov. It seems that
"not like" - a word for some lyrical and emotional matters, but not
for the aviation economy. Indeed, in this era of huge jet aircraft bolts
were not particularly honored. Passenger comfort, noise in the cabin and
on the ground, technology repair the aircraft, its flight speed, simplicity to
the airfields is increasingly becoming the defining concepts in aviation. We
should not forget that the cost of the "Aeroflot" started talking
seriously until the early 1980s, when the consumption of aviation fuel began to
shake even the imagination of the leaders of the then cost-wasteful
economy.Then remembered and the IL-18 and the Tu-114, but, as always, it was
too late.

In the 1970s, was developed by modification of the Tu-114A, which, according to
V.G.Deloveri, "provided a significant improvement in flying qualities of
the machine by changing the profile and of the wing. Unfortunately, the Tu-114A
was not implemented. Could not find application in practice and a number
of planned improvements and improvements to the machine - they have not been
showing interest. And those innovations that have struck the road, were born
with great difficulty. " Needless to say - not pleasing to his
superiors ...

The experience of the noise attenuation inside the Il-18 gained by the airline
"Interflug," shows that this kind of increase the comfort of the
passengers on the aircraft with the theater is not only real, but effective. After
all, in fact, the noise in the cabin - it's the only serious drawback of Tu-114
in the area of ​​passenger comfort. Worse, of course, the
situation had to deal with noise in the area, but no one raised the question of
the return of the Tu-114 on international routes, where this criterion appears
more attention (and sometimes, in my opinion even too high).

Like any economic plane, the Tu-114 provides a higher level of safety than his
fellow jet, as was huge by today's standards, fuel for the alternate. For
example, when calling in Khabarovsk commander of the Tu-114 at maximum landing
weight has always had a balance of fuel for at least two and sometimes four (!)
Hours of flight, depending on the wind on the highway. This alone quality
of the machine should have been brought to his attention to the increased
positive industry leaders. Until the appearance of IL-86 airbus aircraft
Tu-114 airliner was the most capacious of "Aeroflot", again in his
favor in terms of profitability, so in comparison with the IL-62M - exactly.

It is unlikely that the special requirements of the Tu-114 to the quality and
availability of airfields broad long runway, the high separation speed and
approach could be sufficient reason for their early removal from service. After
all, safe to fly above airfields were established long ago, and further use for
them the Tu-114 would not require any additional costs.

Worked flawlessly until the last days of materiel aircraft. Most of the
reliability of its operation has been identified as a high quality of its
design, public and service tests, and reliability of vital components design,
including the engine, feathering the propeller system, reliability, KTA,
strength airframe and landing gear.

In the last year of operation of the Tu-114 began to appear in the cracks of
power dashboards engines. It's just complicated the main issue - ensuring
safety.Outdated and screws. It was necessary to make emergency repairs. The
panels were delivered to the ATB Domodedovo and lay in disarray on the shop
floor, where not even really know what this all about. Experts have
proposed to bring the engine to life theater NK12-MB up to 5000 hours, after
appropriate revision. It turned out that the panel in the meantime pretty
spoiled, and no interest in top leadership to extend the life of the aircraft
there. So Tu-114 with large remnants of the heavenly life ceased their way
...

After removal from service was a question of their limited use as a landing
aircraft. Tu-114 could carry, after replacing the chairs in the salon with
special stores, 300 paratroopers. However, in this case chose not to
bother - to completely abandon the aircraft, rather than to an extension of his
work.

Let me, however, to refrain from clearly negative tone for early cancellation
of the Tu-114. The upgrading of the wing and engine noise reduction, life
extension, and production of spare parts would require large expenditures for
the small number of series (29 aircraft 01.1977). In addition, from the
point of view of the industry as a whole, management attention was focused
primarily on the introduction of new aircraft (IL-86), can solve the problem of
traffic according to modern requirements, the development of the airfield
network, implementation of best global practices of civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO), rather than prolonging life perfect, but the older
aircraft, besides a very demanding to the runway and airfield maintenance.

But clearly both - if the passenger Tu-114 (with all the requirements and
achievement of progress in aviation) in our days have probably not have been
possible, for freight transport TU-114 and today, in an era of fuel shortages, would
have been irreplaceable aircraft.

V.A.Filonov masterful direction of the stand strictly on the runway for one direction only navigational instrument - as shown by subsequent measurements, the deviation was less than a degree, that is just at the limits of the pilot. Only at the end of the takeoff strip still poor preparation
played a fateful role - left truck chassis is brushed on the isolation of one
of the parapets of snow, which caused a strong cast of the aircraft left the
sinking of the nose. The pilot, fending off, given the right bank, screws,
third and fourth engine was hit on the cover strip and collided with the earth,
leading to complete destruction ... Killed many of the passengers and crew
members, including commander V.A.Filonov. Some, including V.F.Bashkirova,
was lucky to survive for one reason or another, especially located in the tail
of the plane.

Produced by the investigation revealed that the training pilots to fly a Tu-114
was conducted in the unit at the perfect level training program even surpassed
the recommended amount. There is no doubt a professional, as well as human
V.A.Filonova reputation. The disaster was triggered by interference from
senior management of the crew, as well as poor training of the band terrestrial
services.However, for obvious reasons, it was hushed up, and so far about this
tragic history, few people know.

Command-and-control style of management industry, very often leads to such
incidents, was, incidentally, is the main cause of early cancellation of the
Tu-114 flight operations.

After reaching the international route of IL-62, Tu-114, losing the status of
the leader of "Aeroflot", all the fleet were converted from
Sheremetyevo to Domodedovo. There are 220-seat version of the regular
flights to Alma-Ata, Tashkent, Novosibirsk and Khabarovsk, where there were
long strips. The aircraft behaved as reliable as in the
1960s. Nickname "The Dragon" (Novosibirsk), or "Shaitan
Arba" (Alma-Ata) were purely humorous, but not sarcastic. Occasionally
there were cases of engine failure, not led to any serious
consequences. There was a case of an emergency landing with faulty landing
gear in Domodedovo, too, ended happily. However, after the majority of use
of machines flying no more than 15 000 hours of all aircraft Tu-114 in November
1976 have been withdrawn from service and decommissioned no later than summer
1977.